Musical cultists -- no, cultists with a specific attachment to very old music. Not a surprising revelation, and apparently even less so given Meister's apparent current location.
"It makes sense," Alice said. "Most scientists think the earliest humans were born in Africa. We learned about this a little in school. If they're into really ancient songs, they'd be there."
"William is probably enjoying himself, the scamp." Actually, he probably was not. The sooner they set out, the better.
They had to rely on Black Alice for quite a lot, in the end. Without her, the trip would have taken a very long time, whereas with her magic they stepped out into Ethiopia within a few moments. And as there was a dearth of people who knew how to speak English (or Spanish) within such a rural area, the fact that she could give herself the gift of languages was incredibly important -- especially when they showed around the symbols on the cultists' robes, and several locals recognized them.
They were incredibly strange, and they weren't far away. If they could "borrow" a vehicle, it wouldn't take much time at all to get there.
(In the backseat of the vehicle, Black Alice placed one of her hands on his.
"Hey... Ragdoll... Peter. Um. He'll be okay."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
"Tut, tut. Think nothing of it, Lori, dear.")
They ditched the vehicle as soon as the building -- almost a temple, really -- came into sight in the distance; it wouldn't do to be spotted. As they got in close, Ragdoll volunteered, "I'll go in myself, shall I?"
No one argued. He was the stealthy one of them. Besides... "We'll stay out of range of his voice," Bane said. "In case there is trouble."
"If anything happens, we'll come in swinging." Knockout seemed to enjoy the prospect.
"You sure you don't want me to come with? I can maybe help you find him...?" Lori worried at her lip, worried at both the prospect of going in and staying out here to let Ragdoll go it alone.
"That won't be necessary."
As Ragdoll prepared to duck inside, Scandal stopped him, calling out quietly. "Mr. Merkel?" When he paused, she continued, "Remember that... there's hope. Even for us."
"...Thank you, Scandal." And then he slipped inside. All he had to do was find William, now. Then those reassurances would prove entirely unneeded.
no subject
"It makes sense," Alice said. "Most scientists think the earliest humans were born in Africa. We learned about this a little in school. If they're into really ancient songs, they'd be there."
"William is probably enjoying himself, the scamp." Actually, he probably was not. The sooner they set out, the better.
They had to rely on Black Alice for quite a lot, in the end. Without her, the trip would have taken a very long time, whereas with her magic they stepped out into Ethiopia within a few moments. And as there was a dearth of people who knew how to speak English (or Spanish) within such a rural area, the fact that she could give herself the gift of languages was incredibly important -- especially when they showed around the symbols on the cultists' robes, and several locals recognized them.
They were incredibly strange, and they weren't far away. If they could "borrow" a vehicle, it wouldn't take much time at all to get there.
(In the backseat of the vehicle, Black Alice placed one of her hands on his.
"Hey... Ragdoll... Peter. Um. He'll be okay."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
"Tut, tut. Think nothing of it, Lori, dear.")
They ditched the vehicle as soon as the building -- almost a temple, really -- came into sight in the distance; it wouldn't do to be spotted. As they got in close, Ragdoll volunteered, "I'll go in myself, shall I?"
No one argued. He was the stealthy one of them. Besides... "We'll stay out of range of his voice," Bane said. "In case there is trouble."
"If anything happens, we'll come in swinging." Knockout seemed to enjoy the prospect.
"You sure you don't want me to come with? I can maybe help you find him...?" Lori worried at her lip, worried at both the prospect of going in and staying out here to let Ragdoll go it alone.
"That won't be necessary."
As Ragdoll prepared to duck inside, Scandal stopped him, calling out quietly. "Mr. Merkel?" When he paused, she continued, "Remember that... there's hope. Even for us."
"...Thank you, Scandal." And then he slipped inside. All he had to do was find William, now. Then those reassurances would prove entirely unneeded.